Professor Game Podcast – Episode 429

"Tom Vorselen On Why Effort Isn't the Problem (Your Learning Systems Are)"

Host: Rob Alvarez
Guest: Tom Vorselen (Founder, The Study Coach)
Release Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

This engaging episode features Tom Vorselen, founder of The Study Coach, discussing why effort alone doesn’t guarantee academic or professional success. Tom delves into the science of learning, sharing how poor study methods—not a lack of effort—typically undermine learners. The conversation covers practical, neuroscience-backed strategies for improving focus, overcoming procrastination, and optimizing learning systems. Real success stories, actionable frameworks, and gamification principles weave throughout, making the episode invaluable for educators, students, and professionals seeking impactful ways to boost learning and performance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tom’s Background and The Study Coach Mission

• Personal Struggle Transformed: Tom candidly shares his own academic failures, stating,

  "In my first year of my academics, I failed 50% of my courses. That was not due to me not putting in the effort, but because my methods were trash." [00:00 & 06:43]

• The Study Coach helps students, professionals, and entrepreneurs in over 40 countries beat procrastination, master time management, and upgrade study habits using evidence-based techniques.

2. The Real Problem: Learning Methods, Not Lack of Effort

• Tom notes the widespread misconception that effort alone leads to success.

  "It's not an effort problem. My parents also saw that it was a method problem… once you start going into university or life and business, there's no one type of tutor that can solve that." [06:59]

• He underscores that simply re-reading and highlighting are debunked by research, but still used by 84% of learners.

  "We only bombard our students with things they have to learn, but we rarely teach them how to learn... on average, zero hours are dedicated towards learning how to learn." [11:47]

3. Active Learning and Gamification Strategies

• Tom advocates for active recall, spaced repetition, and techniques like the Seinfeld "don't break the chain" method to make learning more effective and even enjoyable.
• Gamification aspects are interwoven through strategies like streak tracking and self-reflection, drawing parallels with leveling up in video games.

4. Mindset Shifts: From Fixed to Growth

• Many learners and professionals are stuck in a fixed mindset due to past failures.

  "We always focus on their mindset first. Is it growth or is it fixed? ...Negative thoughts create negative feelings. Stress, anxiety, overwhelm. And these feelings make people avoid or procrastinate because we want to feel good, we want to feel happy." [17:02]

5. Key Success Story

• Tom recounts guiding a dental student from the brink of expulsion to high achievement:

  "He had those two retakes...and in the three months that we worked together, his grades were 94, 98, 95%. He passed the retakes, he passed the initial course… six months later, [he texted] 'Tom, I graduated.'" [14:27]

• Core interventions: mindset coaching, time management overhaul, mind mapping from memory, flashcards, and retrieval practice.

6. Time Management and Adaptability

• Time Boxing: Most clients benefit from time-blocked calendars; however, Tom customizes approaches for those with ADHD/ADD.

  "For some of the students with ADD/ADHD, it works wonders because finally they have structure.” [21:01]

• Flexibility: For those with unpredictable schedules (e.g., parents), the Eisenhower Matrix helps prioritize and adapt daily.

  "If you finish about 75% [of your tasks] on a daily basis, you're doing an amazing job." [24:53]

7. The Study Coach’s Systematic Process

• Initial deep-dive consultation to diagnose issues: most common challenges are procrastination, poor time management, feeling overwhelmed, and weak study strategies.
• Highly personalized coaching is the standard; video resources supplement but do not replace individualized plans. [25:29]

8. Gamification and AI in Modern Learning

• Tom highlights his team’s work (notably Dan, a young team member) on integrating AI and further gamifying the learning experience for clients. [27:33]

9. Recommended Book and Core Philosophy

• Book: Level Up by Rob Dial:

  "If you see life as a video game where you level up by slaying your dragons and beating the next level—this book is recommended." [29:17]

• Superpower:

  "I know how to learn—and most importantly, how to apply it." [30:38]

• Rapid learning and implementation have driven his business’s exponential growth.

10. Favorite Games

• Tom reveals a longtime love of FIFA and Call of Duty—noting, with humor, that his hours spent playing them contributed to his university setbacks. [31:58]

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On failing and learning:

  "One of the failures that I experienced was the tactics I used in my first year of Uni. They were bad—just the average student rereading and highlighting approach and cramming one night before..." [06:49]

• On the importance of teaching learning itself:

  "We spend around 13,000 hours at school...on average, zero hours are dedicated towards learning how to learn." [11:47 - Tom]

• On time management flexibility:

  "Too many people expect themselves to finish everything that they have scheduled. But if you finish about 75% on a daily basis, you're doing an amazing job." [24:42 - Tom]

• Practical gamification connection:

  "If you play a video game and you fail, you're going to ask yourself, 'Okay, what should I stop doing, what should I start doing and what should I continue doing?' These are the three questions that we ask every week to our students..." [21:01 - Tom]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 06:35 — Tom's academic failure and its root causes.
• 11:47 — Shocking statistics on lack of "learning how to learn."
• 14:27 — Dramatic student success story.
• 17:02 — The role of mindset in learning transformation.
• 21:01 — Adapting time management for different needs.
• 25:29 — The Study Coach's tailored coaching process.
• 27:33 — The future: AI and gamification in The Study Coach.
• 29:17 — Book recommendation: Level Up.
• 30:38 — Tom's learning superpower.
• 31:58 — Favorite games and their personal impact.
• 33:12 — Free resources for listeners: Study Breakthrough Bundle (details below).

Listener Offer: Study Breakthrough Bundle

Who it’s for:
Students, professionals, or entrepreneurs facing procrastination, overwhelm, or ineffective learning.

What’s included:

• PACER Study Blueprint: Step-by-step framework for active recall & efficient learning.
• Anti-Procrastination Masterclass: Video training + workbook for actionable progress.

How to access:
Go to Instagram @thestudycoach and DM the word “professor” for exclusive access. [33:12]

Closing Thoughts

Tom and Rob’s conversation integrates real-world neuroscience and psychology with gamification principles and practical systems for better learning. The episode challenges listeners to rethink effort, define clear methods, and embrace both fun and self-reflection as part of a lifelong learning journey.

For more resources or to connect with Tom:
Instagram: @thestudycoach — DM "professor" for the bonus materials.

Next Steps:
Subscribe to Professor Game to keep learning how play can upgrade your impact in education, business, and personal growth.

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